DOJ to NBI: Probe death of hazing victim

MANILA, Philippines – The Department of Justice directed the National Bureau of Investigation on August 1, Wednesday, to probe the death of a law student allegedly due to hazing.

Acting Justice Secretary Francisco Baraan III said the department has ordered NBI Director Nonnatus Rojas to investigate the death of Marc Andrei Marcos, a first year law student in San Beda College who died on July 30 due to injuries allegedly sustained from hazing.

Baraan said the NBI was given until August 3 to submit its initial findings. He gave the assurance that the probe will be fair and independent. Baraan and Justice Secretary Leila de Lima both finished law in San Beda. (De Lima is on leave since her father passed away.)

Marcos, 22, is the second victim of alleged hazing from San Beda.

In February, freshman law student Marvin Reglos also died allegedly to hazing. Ten members of the Lambda Rho fraternity have been indicted for his death. De Lima vowed impartial and swift justice in Reglos’ case amid concerns of a whitewash, as De Lima is one of the founders of Lambda Rho Sigma, the sister sorority of Lambda Rho Beta. 

“Ang malungkot nga this is the second time na ang victim is a college of law student ng San Beda law. Yung una ngang hazing involved my own fraternity Lambda Rho (It’s sad that this is the second time that the victim is a law student from San Beda. The first case even involved members of my own fraternity, Lambda Rho),” Baraan said. “We, together with the Secretary, have expressed our denunciation of this kind of hazing resulting in the death of neophytes.” – Rappler.com